11 Things People Do On Social Media That Seem Normal But Are Actually Kind Of Insane
Things we do on social media seem normal... until you realize how unhinged they really are.
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock Social media has become such an integral part of daily life that we never stop to question the bizarre behaviors it encourages. From doomscrolling instead of getting sleep to stalking former flames, our online actions can seriously be unhinged. It's easy to forget that it was originally created to foster connection, but now, there are certain things people do on social media that seem normal but are actually kind of insane.
Staging photos or even placing our children in front of the camera so they can be watched by complete strangers is something we would never have done as a species years ago. When we take a step back, we realize that social media has turned us all into phone-dependent humans who live for the attention and validation from others. But broadcasting our personal struggles to complete strangers is not normal — we've just normalized it.
Here are 11 things people do on social media that seem normal but are actually kind of insane
1. Stalking someone's accounts
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There's nothing wrong with checking someone's social media page, but when you make it a daily habit you have officially entered into cyberstalking. Stalking someone's social media page is harmless if you are simply taking a glance just to see what their life is like, but it becomes harmful when that person has made it clear they no longer wish to continue communicating with you.
According to a report from Gitnux, victims of stalking have an increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety. So when a person who has been traumatized goes on their social media just to see that a person who caused that trauma is still watching them, it can cause them distress.
2. Watching every post without liking anything
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Cyberstalking is bad, but so are people who watch everything you post, yet never like anything. Younger generations refer to these people as "lurkers," or people who linger around your social media but never support you. In online communities, around 90% of people lurk but never actually engage with content.
This is a staggering statistic, as it makes you wonder why people are afraid of liking something they are interested in. When we follow people with the intent to follow their content and see more of it, we likely want to engage. But, more often than not, people just quickly look and never get involved.
3. Re-watching their own content
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Being your own cheerleader is an amazing thing, but when you have an ulterior motive of doing it for more viewership numbers, that's when it becomes one of the concerning things people do on social media that seem normal but are actually kind of insane.
While people may re-watch their content if they posted something funny, often because they need a confidence boost from the positive feedback they get, making it a habit can cause problems. Sometimes the things we want a lot of people to see rarely make it big and it can chip away at our self-esteem in the end.
4. Obsessing over their ex's photos
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Not only is obsessively stalking your ex's accounts one of the alarming things people do on social media that seem normal but are actually kind of insane, it's indicative of a heart that hasn't healed. For some, looking through their ex's photos allows them to see what they have been up to since the breakup, but for others, it can make things worse.
"We're hardwired to pay attention to other people. Even if we broke something off, we want to fundamentally believe that no one can replace us. We want affirmation that we're valued or a good person, so we're hoping that without us they're going to be a little bit sad or suffer a little bit," said media psychologist Pamela Rutledge, who studies the impact of media and technology on our lives.
Unfortunately, according to a survey commissioned by Digital PR Agency Reboot Online, 24% of people check their ex-partner's social media accounts weekly, with the highest percentage saying they do it because they still have feelings for them.
5. Deleting something they posted because it didn't get enough attention
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People who delete posts after not receiving any likes shows that they struggle with their sense of self-worth. They would rather delete a photo or video because people didn't like or see it than keep it up for themselves. Posting started as a way to express yourself to the world, but thanks to self-censorship people would rather hide their opinions and image so they're not scrutinized.
Posting things that are safe or aesthetically pleasing to the eye feels shallow and shows that we live in a perfectly curated world that lacks authenticity. There's a lesson here you can take away from this, which is that you should post things because you like them, not simply for the enjoyment of others.
6. Checking who views their content
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Checking who views your content all the time has become so normalized that we can barely stay away from our phones. Whether it's scanning the viewers of an Instagram Story or obsessively tracking down who viewed your profile on TikTok, it can be both insane and unnerving. Underneath this lies a creepy type of surveillance and micromanaging personality trait that feeds their anxiety.
What makes these people even more unhinged is that they're consistently online. They can't go a day without their phones or even an hour. And according to a study published in the Journal of Contemporary Clinical Practice, people who have higher levels of social media dependence also suffer from high depression.
7. Zooming into people's photos to see their living spaces
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One of the things people do on social media that seem normal but are actually kind of insane is zooming in on the photos people post to see their living space. While it's understandable in serious situations that involve children, it can be incredibly judgmental and disrespectful. It can also be intrusive to the point where you know what books they like or what name brands they own.
It can be a way of physically stalking someone without leaving the comfort of your home. Social media has unfortunately trained us to see other people's lives as consumable content, with that comes an entitlement to their space and choices. With digital voyeurism on the rise, it's better to rethink posting content from within your home.
8. Getting mad when their friends don't like their content
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Getting mad when your friends don't like or support your content feels like a valid response, but it can actually make you look unhinged. Not every one's feeds are the same, and as much as your friends would like to see your content, many rarely do. Expecting a friend to constantly give you praise for everything you post is a high expectation not based in reality.
It's understandable why someone would be upset with this, as it likely makes them feel like their friends don't care about them. In fact, research published in the journal Child Development found that people who receive fewer likes on their social media posts feel slightly lower about themselves, which can lead to depression and anxiety. But friendships are bigger than algorithms, and social media shouldn't even be part of the equation.
9. Sharing their location in real time
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Younger generations tend to share their locations with friends and family as a safety precaution, but there is a downside to this. Sharing your location can keep you safe if the right people have it, but when the wrong people get access to it they can track your movements or even find out where you live.
Social media platforms like Snapchat encourage users to share their locations at local spots, which can be dangerous. Unfortunately, sharing your location so openly brings unwanted stress. A study from HEREE Technologies found that 44% of people inadvertently share their locations with more apps than they realize.
A generation or two ago, people were told not to talk to strangers about where they lived or where they were going, but now it's normalized. It's truly wild to willingly give out your information like this to others.
10. Turning children into content
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As adorable as kids are online, everyone gets a sense of danger whenever they see thousands of likes and shares on a video involving small children. While most people are good, others will save this content for nefarious purposes.
It's understandable to want to make your social media platform family-friendly, but when kids get put into the mix, things change. Parents who divulge information about their children online risk identity fraud like names, addresses, and photos being leaked online.
Additionally, according to psychologist Mark Travers, parents who post their kids online like this, referred to as "sharenting," can eventually cause a rift in the parent-child relationship and create unhealthy comparison culture in kids.
The internet is a fun place, but it can also be just as equally dangerous. Children may also grow up feeling like they have to perform instead of being themselves. In this instance, they lose their childhood and their sense of identity.
11. Creating an online alias to escape reality
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Around 86% of U.S. internet users have intentionally masked or obscured their identity online through pseudonyms and VPNs, according to Pew Research Center. This is because, behind the screen, people can be bolder, louder, and weirder without the social pressures.
What was meant to be a good thing also has a negative aspect to it. People who conceal their identities online can freely stalk others without them knowing who they are. In other cases, they can even pretend to be close friends or family and hack computers through direct messaging on social media. It makes things like the chain emails and Nigerian prince scams look tame in comparison.
Remember: it's one thing to protect your privacy, but it's a whole other thing to build a second life for yourself online. Social media has made this kind of digital escapism easy to do, which is a bit insane when you think about it.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
